Southern California Junior Bach Festival
The 2026 Bach Branch Festival (SCJBF-Keyboard Division) will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at Steinway Gallery, Pasadena. It is now open for registration.
The deadline to apply for the Bach Branch Keyboard Festival is February 21st, 2026. The annual teacher participation fee is $35 at the website. Student participation fees can be found here. Online payment can be made with credit cards or Stripe. (Birth certificates no longer necessary.)
For more information, please go to official website: SCJBF.org
Branch Festival Rules: Keyboard repertoire time limit for all pieces is 5 minutes. There is also an Anna Magdalena category to encourage younger students to study the music of Bach. If you have more questions, please email klobitz@sbcglobal.net
Regional Festival: If selected, students have the option to play in the second round at the Regionals. Students move forward to the Regionals based on scores received at the Branch Festival level. Regional Festival will be held on the May 2nd, 2026 at Steinway Gallery Pasadena. Students must play the same repertoire as at the Branch level and continue to observe the 5-minute time limit.
Complete Works Audition: This “third” round is offered for keyboard students who desire to study multiple movements from a Bach work, i.e. a prelude and fugue from The Well-Tempered Clavier, or several movements from a suite or partita (with no time limit). Please see the SCJBF online website for an exact listing of works that have been approved for the 2025 Complete Works festival. In order to be considered for CWA teachers must have checked the “Complete Works” box on the original online application.
At the Branch Bach Festival, only one movement or one prelude or one fugue needs to be performed (although multiple movements are welcome). However, at the Complete Works Audition, held in October 2025, a student must be prepared to perform all movements on the required list for a particular work. (Please check the online listing.) In order to be eligible to play at this round, a student must be a winner at both the Branch and Regional Festivals. There is no time limit at CWA.
Regional String Festival: April 19th, 2026 at Westside Music Conservatory (12424 Wilshire Blvd Ste 100 West Los Angeles).
Please direct any questions to Dr. Cheryl Scheidemantle. Link here
Regional Wind & Voice Festival: April 19th, 2026 at Westside Music Conservatory.
Please direct any questions to Emily An. Link here
Regional Organ Festival: May 17th, 2026 at Westside Music Conservatory.
Please direct any questions to David Ball and Dr. Deborah How. Link here
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MTAC Teachers may enter any student who is interested in playing the music of J. S. Bach — whether winds, strings, keyboard, or pipe organ. This annual festival offers an outstanding listening experience for the audience as well as a chance to hear a wide array of Bach pieces performed by talented students. We hope you will encourage your students to participate in the Festival to become more familiar with the music of this legendary composer.
Kristi Lobitz , Branch Chair
Past Events
